Selected Histories

20th-Century Art from the SFMOMA Collection

Selected Histories

René Magritte, Les valeurs personnelles (Personal Values), 1952; oil on canvas; Collection SFMOMA, purchase through a gift of Phyllis Wattis; © Charly Herscovici, Brussels / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Selected Histories

Mark Rothko, No. 14, 1960, 1960; oil on canvas; Collection SFMOMA, Helen Crocker Russell Fund purchase; © 1998 Kate Rothko Prizel & Christopher Rothko / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Selected Histories

Clyfford Still, Untitled, 1957; oil on canvas; Collection SFMOMA, Gift of the artist; © The Clyfford Still Estate

February 25, 2011 - June 02, 2013

This installation of works from SFMOMA's painting and sculpture collection is conceived as a series of chapters that illuminate key moments and themes in the art of the 20th century. By presenting a range of conversations among varied works, the exhibition explores the many narratives the museum's collection can suggest about the history of modern art.


  • From Our Walls to Yours

    From Our Walls to Yours

    Reproductions of several works in this exhibition are available through our Print on Demand program. These archival-quality prints are produced on heavyweight, acid-free paper with high-density inks. View the complete selection in the MuseumStore.

  • Give Our Video App a Whirl

    Give Our Video App a Whirl

    Stop by the second-floor Learning Lounge to experience our iPad video App Artists Working/Artists Talking, a collection of interview clips and studio footage of artists represented in the museum's collection.